The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Whistle blowing policy

  • ‎Group wants whistle-blowing policy extended to Boko Haram‎

    ‎Group wants whistle-blowing policy extended to Boko Haram‎

    ‎The Northern Inter-Faith and Religious Organisation for peace has canvassed for the adoption of whistle-blowing policy to exterminate the Boko Haram terrorist.

    ‎Bishop Edward Chanami‎made made the call today in Abuja while addressing press briefing on whistle-blowing on suicide bombers and forty days prayer for the capture of Abubakar Shekau.‎

    According to him, “we have observed with concern the recent string of events in which the Boko Haram terrorists that were taking flight upon their resounding defeat in Camp Zero of Sambisa Forest are attempting to re-constitute themselves into threats to the rest of us. They have mounted attacks that in their own expectations are spectacular. With the benefit of what we know, the attacks are just a fraction of the many plots to create terror since the military regularly abort their evil plots before fruition.”‎
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    He added; “these successes in thwarting Boko Haram attacks before they occur are the products of painstaking intelligence gathering. It is logical to assume that greater success would be recorded when citizens volunteer information about Boko Haram terrorists as their own contributions towards making the country safe for all peace-loving citizens.
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    ‎”The war as being prosecuted by the Nigerian military has had its ups and downs moments but this should not detract from the collective desire of the majority of citizens to see good triumph over evil. Even as we continue to intercede for and on behalf of God’s children, we have found it imperative time and time again that our faith must be matched with actions, hence our occasional intervention to give context and direction when necessary.
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    “It is for this reason that we are revisiting the Whistleblowers Policy of the Military in the counter-terrorism war. We recall that the Nigerian Army, not long ago offered N500,000 to some whistleblowers as reward for providing information about suicide bombers. This practice has been in place for some time but it appears Nigerians are not tapping into it as a way helping to make their own communities secured and safer. ‎

    “The introduction of whistleblowing in the counter insurgency operations in the north east is no doubt a follow up to the order by the Acting President redeploying the entire military architecture of the country to the north east to confront the new wave of terrorism.
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    “Our appeal however is that the military should consider varying the rewards for whistleblowing. Fear of retribution from the terrorists could be holding back some citizens that have vital information. To this end, we suggest that the reward for certain level of whistleblowing should include offer of relocation and provision of new identities under a whistleblower protection programme. This would not only instill confidence in volunteering information but will encourage those that are in doubt to step forward.”

  • Court remands two whistle-blowers in prison

    Court remands two whistle-blowers in prison

    A Federal High Court in Maiduguri, Borno State, has remanded two whistle-blowers, Buhari Fannami and Ba-Kura Abdullahi, in prison pending the commencement of their trial for allegedly giving wrong information.

    The two suspects were arraigned on one- count charge before Justice M. T Salihu by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for alleged abuse of whistle-blowing policy.

    A statement issued by the Head of Media and Publicity of EFCC, Mr. Wilson Uwujaren said Fannami had misled the EFCC with the information about illegally acquired monies purportedly buried at the residence of one Ba’a Lawan.

    The statement said Fannami information turned out to be false after the execution of a search warrant.

    The charge  reads: “That you, Buhari Fannami on or about the 8th day of May, 2017 at Maiduguri, Borno State, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did make statement to officers of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission under the Whistle Blowing policy to the effect that large sums of money being the proceeds of crime were buried in the residence Ba’a Lawan at Pompomari Layout along Pompomari Bypass, Maiduguri, which information/statement you knew to be false and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under sections 39 (2) (a) and 39 (2) (b) of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (Establishment) Act 2004 respectively.”

    “The accused person pleaded not guilty to the charge.

    “Counsel to the prosecution Alkassim Ja’afar asked for a trial date and prayed the court to remand the accused person in the prison pending trial.

    Justice Salihu adjourned the matter to June 7 and 8, 2017 for hearing and ordered the accused to be remanded in the prison.

    On his part, Ba-Kura Abdullahi also gave false information that large sum of money in naira and foreign currencies were buried in the residence of Ba’a Lawan.

    Justice Salihu adjourned his case to June 7 and 8, 2017 for commencement of trial and ordered the accused to be remanded in prison.

    The Minister of Finance, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun on Tuesday said about 2,500 whistle-blowers had given information to the Federal Government.

    She said: “On the other measures we are using to fight corruption, apart from the TSA (Treasury Single Account), you all know about the whistle-blower policy, which has helped to make every Nigerian a detective. As we know, the policy says if you know something, say something and patriotic Nigerians are now saying a lot of things.

    “We have over 2,500 tips from various quarters. They are not just the big monies that we see in the papers, but the other monies, like someone diverting the money of a university. We go in there and we stop it. I think the fight against corruption is the people’s fight.

    “Note that not all the whistle-blowers are looking for rewards. Some are just patriotic citizens. Now that everyone has embraced the policy, this has become a national fight against corruption.

    “On the issue of ghost workers, we are removing dead people from the payroll every week. We are blocking loopholes such that people taking the salaries of 10 or 20 people can no longer do that. We have also been able to create more employment by flushing out the ghost workers.”

  • NITDA adopts FG’s whistle blowing policy to fight corruption

    In line with the Federal Government’s fight against corruption, the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) had adopted the “whistle blowing” policy to sanitise it’s system of unethical practices.

    Mrs Hadiza ‎Umar, the Head, Cooperate Affairs and External Relations of NITDA said this on Friday in Abuja in a statement.

    The adoption of the policy by Dr Isa Ibrahim, the Director-General of the agency was followed by inauguration of an Anti-Corruption Committee to sanitise the agency.

    The Chairman of the committee, Mr Sarafa Lawal lauded the D-G for setting up the committee, adding that the strategy would aid transparency.

    “We appreciate Dr Isa Ibrahim for implementing the whistle blowing initiative in the agency, which will aid transparency in all the activities operating within the borders of the organisation.

    “I am allergic to corrupt practices and favouratism.

    “Restructuring the agency with zeal will deliver more effectively and efficiently within the stipulated mandate of NITDA channelled towards a swift growth, development of the information technology sector of the country,” he said.

    Also, Mr Kuatsea Justin, the Head, Anti-Corruption Unit of the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC)‎, said NITDA’s collaboration with the commission in the past had sanitised the agency.

    ‎Justin called on the agency to establish an e-platform that would aid ICPC to monitor the activities of Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs).

    He said that the e-platform would curb and sanitise all corrupt practices within government organisations in the country, thereby creating an environment that the future generation would benefit from.

  • Lawmaker lauds whistle blowing policy

    A member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Olajide Jimoh, has hailed the Federal Government on its whistle blowing policy, stressing that the National Assembly would soon make a law that would back the policy.
    He disclosed this in Lagos while speaking on President Mohammadu Buhari’s scorecard in the last two years.
    He said: “We are trying in the National Assembly to make a law that will back up the whistle blowing policy.”
    The lawmaker maintained that any member of the APC found guilty of corruption should be prosecuted, adding that nobody is above the law.
    Jimoh said  President Buhari has fought against corruption and ensured peace in the Northern Nigeria.
    He added: “No country can survive without peace. During the last administration, many lives were lost to the Boko Haram mayem, but now, peace has been restored.”
    Jimoh appealed to Nigerians to support the President in his bid to find solution to the challenges.
    Reacting to the statement credited to Senator Ahmed Makafi on the lack of improvement in the area of economy and unemployment, the lawmaker said the problems confronting by the ruling party was initiated by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). He said President was doing everything his best to summount the problems.
    He said: “Nobody can accused the President of diverting the nations fund because he is a man of integrity. He promised that Nigeria would be better especially in the area of economy. The president has tried his best in the area of fighting corruption.”
    Jimoh said stable power and viable industries would generate jobs for the unemployed.
    It would recalled that Ahmed Makarfi-led National Caretaker Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has described President Muhammadu Buhari’s claims in his Easter message, to having met the expectations of Nigerians as an insult on their intelligence.

  • Presidency moves to strengthen whistle blowing policy

    Presidency moves to strengthen whistle blowing policy

    The Presidency on Wednesday said the Federal Government has started efforts towards strengthen the Whistle blowing policy in the country.

    A statement issued by the Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity to the President, Garba Shehu, said the evidence followed breakthrough recorded in the war against corruption and unaccounted wealth.

    He said the enthusiastic response of Nigerians to the whistle blowing policy has boosted the tempo of the anti -corruption crusade of the Buhari administration and as a consequence, the government is considering ways of enhancing the structural capacity of the whistle blowing mechanism.

    The government, he said, is considering empowering the mechanism by either bringing it under the Presidential Advisory Committee Against Corruption (PACAC) or some other body to imbue the process with a strategic national purpose.

    “In a word, government thinks that the whistle blowing mechanism is too important to be left without a strategic, national direction,” Shehu said.

    He commended the zeal and patriotism of Nigerians for responding positively to the whistle blowing incentive policy, which is intended to expose hidden looted funds.

    “No public policy can succeed or go far enough without public support and participation. When the citizens realise they are victims of corruption, they may feel encouraged to join the efforts to expose looted funds,” he added.